Vintage Absinthe

There is something almost mystical about drinking something made and bottled a century ago, which has then lain undisturbed in the intervening decades. You can almost feel a connection with the people of the time. Bottles of vintage absinthe are relatively rare compared to other spirits; because of absinthe's history of being banned, most stocks of absinthe were drunk (in secret) in the years after its prohibition.

A few bottles have survived, sometimes lost in the cellars of old hotels and restaurants, sometimes hidden amongst wine in the cellars of country châteaux which were bricked up with the outbreak of war in Europe and promptly forgotten about.

Most bottles of Tarragona have faded or crumbling labels, and so looking at this...

Most bottles of Tarragona have faded or crumbling labels, and so looking at this bottle closer I was astonished to see it is actually from the 1950s. The almost impeccable state of the label means that it has been stored well away from light, and the good level of liquid is ...

Argenti is one of the better known Spanish absinthes of the 20th century, bottle...

Argenti is one of the better known Spanish absinthes of the 20th century, bottles having been discovered from as early as the 1930s. Absinthe Expert Markus Hartsmar's review (from Absinthe.se): "Tasting it neat was another surprise, at first it pres ...

Innovation in Absinthe also continued after the Spanish took over the reins as t...

Innovation in Absinthe also continued after the Spanish took over the reins as the world's leading absinthe makers. Like the invention of red Absenta, which is still around today in the form of Absenta Serpis, quite a quirky creation, and beloved by many an absintheur. ...

Another Absinthe from Barcelona, and another rarity - I have only seen this appe...

Another Absinthe from Barcelona, and another rarity - I have only seen this appear on the market a couple of times. The colour has transformed with the decades into a simply beautiful warm yellow hue. As with all mid-century Spanish absenta, you can expect excellent quality. ...